Photo:
TASS
Vice-speaker of the state Duma Pyotr Tolstoy and the head of the Federation of Jewish communities of Russia (FJCR) Alexander Beard resigned after the scandal of the discussions on the transfer of St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Russian Orthodox Church, reports TASS.
Politician and head of the FJC spoke today during the inspection, organized in the state Duma of the exhibition “Treasure of Russia. The pages of history and spiritual tradition”.
Tolstoy raised the question of anti-Semitism and stressed that in his recent statement he “did not mean any nationality… and talked about the history of our country and about the people who destroyed the temples, and synagogues, and it was not about nationalities”.
“So I ask you, if someone is hurt, I am sorry, please correct to understand” — he turned to the head of the FJC.
That, in turn, noted that “we have a multiethnic country and today, the unique inter-ethnic and inter-confessional peace requires the maintenance and strengthening”.
Earlier this week, Peter Tolstoy, speaking about the debate surrounding the transfer of the Russian Church of St. Isaac’s Cathedral, said that “people who are the grandchildren of those who demolished our temples, jumped up from the pale of settlement with a revolver in the 17th year today, working in a variety of other very reputable places — on the radio, in the legislative assemblies, continue the work of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers”. Many saw in these words the signs of anti-Semitism.